Rugby Lions are looking for a maximum haul from their two games before the Christmas break as they start to plan for next season.

Bottom side Bedford Athletic come to Webb Ellis Road tomorrow (3pm) before Lions travel to Blaydon, who are also in the wrong half of the National Division Three North table.

And while Lions acknowledge that a poor run of just one win in their last five games has ended their hopes of an immediate return to National Division Two, two wins would all but guarantee their safety and grant them the freedom to put some markers down for next season.

"If we can pick up nine or ten points from these two games it will give us an opportunity to have a look at the younger players we have coming through our system and who are our future," said chief executive Roger Beresford.

"But we have to win them to make sure were are not dragged into a dogfight.

"Our priority now is to start putting a squad in place for next season and we want to have a look at how the younger players perform and give them an incentive to impress."

Former colts full-back Glenn Bond is given his debut tomorrow at the expense of Alan Mitchell, who goes on to the bench, and Karl Braband starts in the second row in place of Steve Halsey after coming on for the final quarter of last week's 27-21 home defeat by New Brighton.